四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔 3.69

3.69

Section 4 clarifies the property of the deceased of the five assemblies. Now, wealth is what petty persons profit by; it is not what great persons harbor in their hearts. However, when leaving household life to ferry across to the distant shore, passing through toil and wading through joy, worldly praise is not what one longs for; one preserves only the pursuit of the Path, remaining detached far beyond the worldly realm, untrammeled by the dust of defilement. Yet those whose dispositions are not yet harmonious and are not pure by nature keep close only to gain and lack any aspiration for the Path whatsoever. Nevertheless, both higher and lower practitioners are admitted into the stream of the Dharma: the higher ones establish regulations to aid capacities, while the lower ones receive the Dharma and follow their inclinations. Both must conform to the Buddha's Dharma, thereby opening the single path of pure conduct. However, the disposal of a deceased monk's robes and goods follows many avenues; all claim to provide guidance, and each presents an ultimate statement. It is only because the teachings have grave and light applications, and faculties of comprehension are shallow or deep—as clarified in the preface, there are six such paradigms. When it comes to definitive judgments, there is often hesitation; examining matters as they arise hinges on what is grave or light. Now, as the transactions are manifold and complex, without various headings they cannot be distinguished. For now, ten headings are set out to elucidate what is permissible and what is not: 1. Prescribing entry into the saṃgha, other places not being permitted. 2. Diverse methods of division relative to the deceased person. 3. Differences regarding living together and sharing wealth. 4. The correctness or incorrectness of testamentary conferrals. 5. Whether debts must be repaid or not. 6. Determining heavy and light property. 7. Rewarding labor based on possession of virtue. 8. The timing for dividing property. 9. The actual method of dividing [property] by karman. 10. Miscellaneous explanations on receiving property.